Say What?

There’s much to chew over in our usual collection of post-match sound-bites. Louis van Gaal wants United to take more risks, Arsene Wenger is limiting Mesut Ozil’s training regime, Alan Curtis explains Swansea improvement at the back and Guus Hiddink reckons an unsung hero can boost Chelsea’s potential at both ends of the pitch.

Wenger resting Ozil between matches

With three goals and 16 assists to his name already this term, it’s fair to say that Mesut Ozil has been the chief protagonist in Arsenal’s title charge. The Germany playmaker has only failed to deliver attacking returns on two occasions since Gameweek 7 and has played 1633 minutes in the first 20 matches – over 200 minutes more than any other Arsenal midfield or forward. Discussing the former Madrid man’s fitness, Arsene Wenger has revealed that, in order to ensure Ozil doesn’t suffer burnout, he’s pared down his training regime to keep his available for selection:

“At the moment he doesn’t practice a lot, we rest him a lot between the games. He is a guy who once the basic fitness is there between the games, he wants to play. There are types of players, sometimes the most technical players, it looks like it demands less energy for them to play – it is just natural for them. I don’t have Wilshere or Cazorla who are number 10s. I could rest him more if I had these players because Wilshere can play there and Cazorla can play there. You look as well at the impact he can have on other players. The Premier League is very tight and if you go in the decisive game and you do (rest Ozil or other star players), then other players think subconsciously, they don’t tell you, ‘why?’ – even the player himself.”

Curtis pinpoints Swansea defensive improvement

Under Garry Monk’s reign this term, Swansea City managed just two clean sheets in 15 outings and ranked in the top seven for goals conceded (22). Since Alan Curtis has taken up the mantle, however, the Swans have shipped the joint-second-fewest number of goals (four) and big chances (three) across five Gameweeks while claiming the joint-most shut-outs (three). In an interview with the local press, Curtis turned to the statistics to explain the factors behind his side’s renewed resilience as the Swans prepare for four home matches in the next six:

“We were the worst in the Premier League for allowing crosses to come into the box and one of the worst for making blocks. You can guess the sides who are top – Stoke and West Ham, who have proper defenders. We have proper defenders too, but it was about making them aware of the numbers in a meeting and asking if they realised what was happening. We had only a 20 per cent success rate in stopping crosses, but in the last couple of games that’s gone up to 50 per cent. The number of block tackles in the box has almost doubled as well. It was just about them getting half a yard closer. We have three clean sheets, which is a good base. Rather than having to defend the crosses, we have stopped them at the source.”

Allardyce on Johnson’s new role

Adam Johnson was a viable mid-priced pick-up from the 2010/11 to the 2013/14 season but has faded into obscurity over the past one and a half campaigns, tallying just five goals and six assists. A tactical tweak from Big Sam in Saturday’s home clash with Villa could perhaps reignite Johnson’s flagging Fantasy career, though. In a situation similar to Stewart Downing under Allardyce last year, Johnson was moved from out wide into the role in “the hole” in the 3-1 win and, having provided four key passes, earned an assist – only his third of the season. After his side won for the first time in six attempts, the Black Cats boss talked up Johnson’s ability to dictate matters and make a difference in his new position:

“I like him there because he gets more possession there than he does out wide, and his talents on the ball are very important to us. When he plays in a wide position he maybe gets an average of 24 to 30 possessions but when he plays in the hole it’s maybe 46-50-55 possessions. So that’s very important to us, because he can play the final ball that we’re looking for, for any of those front three. He’s not quite as quick as he used to be, but he can be very effective because he’s got a good football brain. He finds good spaces in that area, he can handle the ball when he’s marked. He can roll and turn him and come out with the ball and get us going in an attacking mode.”

Van Gaal wants less caution

Manchester United’s first win in seven matches last Gameweek came as a result of their more aggressive approach. As with the Chelsea head-to-head, Louis van Gaal ordered his troops to engage in a high press against Swansea City and utilised a 3-4-2-1 set-up to facilitate this tactic, before injury forced a half-time switch to four at the back. The Red Devils ultimately seized control of the encounter, claiming 55% possession and chalking up more shots inside the box (16) than the rest of the field, with Wayne Rooney producing eight attempts in the 2-1 win. After criticism over his safety-first approach, Van Gaal was keen to suggest he wants United to play with a little more freedom right now:

“In the first half we played with three defenders, a risky shape, a risky system. But we want to give pressure from the first minute and we have done that. We have created chances in the first half but we didn’t score and you have to score out of the chances. Ashley Young wasn’t playing higher up in the second half – that was in the first half. In the second half, when they changed the shape, we changed the shape also and Ashley Young played as the right full-back. Also against Chelsea we played very risky because we want to press. The players want to press.”

Bilic pleased with Carroll match sharpness

With two goals in as many starts, Andy Carroll has shot onto our radar by virtue of his recent upturn in form. Across the previous two Gameweeks, the West Ham frontman charts joint-second among forwards for attempts (eight), joint-top for shots inside the box (eight) and top for shots on target (seven). After a number of months struggling through injury, Slaven Bilic reckons the big Geordie is now finally match sharp and the Hammers boss subsequently called upon Carroll to keep a high level of application in training to maintain these standards:

“Now he looks fit to me. We have been talking a lot about him: Andy this, Andy that, Andy England, but now he is fit and it is all down to him now. Is he going to look after himself, work hard, train, rest, to maintain his position or to even make it better? And then, and only then, he will become a great asset for us, and it is up to him. I expect him to stick to what he was like recently, he would be very, very stupid to do otherwise.”

Hiddink Cites Mikel as Key to Chelsea Recovery

Whilst John Obi Mikel’s Fantasy output may be minimal at best, the Nigerian’s introduction to the Chelsea starting line-up has proven pivotal to the champions’ improved performances under Guus Hiddink. The Blues have secured back-to-back clean sheets at Manchester United and Crystal Palace, with the 3-0 win at Selhurst Park their strongest showing of the season. During that period, the Nigerian enforcer ranks joint-fourth among all midfielders for loose-ball recoveries (19), establishing a platform for Chelsea’s more attack-minded talents to flourish, with Oscar, Willian and Diego Costa all bagging a goal and assist against the Eagles. Hiddink is adamant that Mikel’s presence in the centre of the park affords the Blues a balance at both ends of the pitch that they’ve sorely missed this campaign:

“He’s the ideal player in my option to bring balance to the team. If the team is not willing to defend well or have the right balance then you concede a lot of goals. I thought John Obi can be one of the key figures in getting the balance back. On top of that the talented players can then explore their qualities. He knows the game very well. He knows where the strength of the opponent is and he knows exactly how to cope with that. He has a very good eye, a very good nose, and a very good sense of where to recover. What I like to see very much is not just a quality player but a player who can defend so smoothly. It’s beautiful to see. He doesn’t lose many balls, he’s good in short passing. I don’t expect and I don’t ask him to make the decisive final pass. He can but no, we let the other players do that.”

Francis happy at centre-half

Bournemouth defender Simon Francis arrived in the top-flight with a lofty reputation. Foraging forward at right-back in last year’s Championship, Francis created 76 chances for his Cherries team-mates – more than any defender in the division. Francis has failed to live up to his reputation, though; after serving up a couple of assists in the first five Gameweeks, he’s failed to produce any attacking returns. A move to centre-half has certainly dampened his attacking potential, with full-backs Adam Smith and Charlie Daniels looking superior options, though Francis’ presence in the heart of defence has, nonetheless, helped his side to three clean sheets in the last six, with just four goals conceded over that period. Discussing his new position, Francis is keen to continue in a central berth for the sake of his career:

“I started at centre-half as a kid but was moved out wide because I had a bit of pace and could get up and down the pitch. That was why I was pushed to full-back. But it has been a case of needs-must for us this season as we have had a few injuries. The manager put me in there and I have been thankful because I have enjoyed it. I would probably say you have to be switched on more mentally when you play at centre-half but, physically, I am not doing as much running as I was at right-back. Moving there could definitely prolong my career but I still enjoy playing at right-back. Adam Smith has been in great form there so we are enjoying it as a back four as it is at the moment.”

Koeman Unhappy with Mane Attitude

For the second time in as many seasons, Sadio Mane was dropped from the Southampton starting line-up for disciplinary reasons last weekend. In spite of serving up consistently encouraging underlying stats, the Senegal international has disappointed his loyal Fantasy owners with just two assists in the last ten Gameweeks and was afforded just 11 minutes off the bench during the 1-0 win at Norwich after turning up late for the Saints’ pre-match team meeting. After watching his side slump to a sixth loss in the last eight Gameweeks, Ronald Koeman slammed Mane’s lack of application amid rumours of a possible move away from St Mary’s during the January transfer window:

“We had a different line-up for the game. Sadio was in, one of the 11 players to start, but we have rules in the team. He was doing a big mistake before the game in our last meeting, two hours before, that he came late, and that’s impossible. Everybody knows then you have a sanction. You don’t start. Then you have to make changes in the team, you have to make changes in all the set-pieces and everything. My message to Sadio two days ago was that I think he wasn’t really focussed and concentrated and that happened two days ago in the training sessions…Maybe (it was linked to opening of transfer window). I don’t know. Ask him really why. Ask him why. I don’t know.”

McClaren on tactical tinkering

Steve McClaren elected to slightly shuffle Newcastle United’s forward contingent for their trip to Arsenal, switching to a 4-2-3-1 set-up and deploying Georginio Wijnaldum in “the hole” behind lone striker Aleksandar Mitrovic. Although he failed to find the net, the Netherlands international thrived at the number-ten slot, amassing the joint-most shots inside the box (four) and shots on target (four) among all midfielders last Gameweek, as Petr Cech proved an impenetrable barrier in the Gunners’ goal. Although they lost narrowly, Newcastle sat joint-second in the Gameweek for attempts on target (six) and McClaren reckons he’ll be happy to employ a similar system in future match-ups:

“People can say it was a 4-4-2 or a 4-2-3-1. I think it was a little lopsided at times, but we set up for the opponent, as we do in every game. We tried to play to our strengths, which I think they did (against Arsenal). We’ve got Sissoko, Wijnaldum, Perez and Mitrovic, who are a handful. They can be a real handful on their day. We rotated them around a bit (against the Gunners), and that’s something we’ll certainly use in the future.”